There are watches for going deep sea diving (or just diving into a local New York City pool or beach)… and then there’s the Rolex Submariner. This is the watch that made diving a key part of the Rolex brand. Let’s investigate!
Rolex launched the Submariner in 1953. It was the mid-1950s and America was in postwar heaven. Yet the launch of the watch wasn’t really a “fashion statement.” It was a serious watch for serious things: deep-sea diving. At the time, recreational scuba diving was just beginning to capture the imagination of postwar America. Jacques Cousteau, through his groundbreaking television and film appearances, piqued the public’s interest in “life under the sea.” Suddenly, SCUBA wasn’t just for rich people or the military. The affluent upper-middle class began to dream of going underwater.
And, to do so, one needs a watch that can really survive at serious depths.
Rolex stepped in with the first divers’ wristwatch. It was waterproof to 100 meters (330 feet). That may not sound incredible today, but in 1953, that was cutting-edge. Within a year, Rolex pushed depth tolerance to 200 meters. By 1989, the Submariner was rated to 300 meters (1,000 feet). Let’s be honest: few divers go that deep, and there are both practical and branding aspects to this watch.
Technological progress does not happen by accident. In the case of the Rolex Submariner, improvements go back to the Oyster case developed in the 1920s. That was Rolex’s original breakthrough in a waterproof watch. The Submariner is closely connected to the Oyster case.
What I love about the Submariner is its practical origin. It was designed to solve a problem: deep sea diving. It was designed for divers who needed legibility, durability, and reliability underwater. The unidirectional bezel lets the diver track dive time safely. The Triplock crown screws down tight via a triple gasket system. The luminous markers glow bright in the low light of the sea. Everything about it says, “This watch is here to help you dive.”
Over the years, the materials have evolved. Oystersteel that shrugs off corrosion. Ceramic Cerachrom bezels that resist scratches. Improved luminescent compounds that outshine tritium. Inside, modern calibers like the 3230 and 3235 movements deliver COSC-certified precision and serious power reserve.
But here is the reality. The watch is both a workhorse of the ocean and a fashion icon. And that’s OK. Rolex is an aspirational brand. It says (a) you’ve “made it,” and (b) you have dreams beyond working as an attorney at a big New York City law firm.
Sean Connery wore this watch as James Bond. (Don’t movies build brands?) Professional divers trusted it. COMEX saturation divers used special versions with helium valves. And then executives started wearing it to board meetings. Black-tie events. Weddings. Rolex created the perfect blend of substance and style.
James Cameron wore a Submariner when he saw the Titanic through a submersible window. He wore the same watch when he accepted his Oscar. The Submariner is at home 1,000 feet underwater or under a tuxedo cuff.
That’s not an easy trick.
In my Rolex repair shop here in Midtown Manhattan, I see Submariners from every era. I service and repair early 5513s with that vintage charm, 16610s from the ’90s, anniversary green-bezel models, and the latest 41mm references. Some come in for a routine service. Some need a little TLC after years of daily wear. Every one of them tells a story. A few are inherited from Grandpa and are full of family meaning.
A Submariner isn’t just a watch you own. It’s a watch that showcases your aspirations. It takes the knocks. It goes on vacations. It gets passed down. It looks masculine on your wrist.
If you’re lucky enough to have one, especially an older model, please don’t let it sit in a drawer. These watches are built to be worn. If it’s been a few years since service, bring it in. Water resistance, gaskets, movement health — I can check it all, and bring it up to standard.
The Submariner began as a pioneering dive watch. It became the archetype of the modern working watch. It’s history.
After 30+ years at the bench, I can tell you this: very few watches earn their reputation the way the Submariner has. Even fewer maintain it over the decades.
That’s why it’s still king of the deep. And it is also “king of the wrist.”
~ Ron Gordon of Ron Gordon Watch Repair, NY NY